GRADE 9 English TOURISM:INTERNATIONAL – WRITING:ASSESSING WRITING Notes
WRITING: ASSESSING WRITING
Topic: TOURISM — INTERNATIONAL (English, age 14, Kenya)
Use these notes to assess and give feedback on short essays and paragraphs about international tourism (for example: visiting the Maasai Mara, cultural exchange, ecotourism). Focus on English grammar and useful writing features for 14-year-old learners.
Quick checklist (tick as you mark)
- ✅ Task response: answers the question about international tourism
- ✅ Organisation: clear introduction, body, and conclusion
- ✅ Paragraphing: one main idea per paragraph
- ✅ Grammar accuracy: tenses, subject-verb agreement
- ✅ Cohesion: use of connectors (however, because, therefore)
- ✅ Vocabulary: correct and appropriate words (tourist, visitor, attraction)
- ✅ Punctuation and spelling
Assessment criteria — grammar focus
- Verb tenses: Use correct tenses. For general facts use present simple (Kenya attracts visitors). For past events use past simple (Last year, many tourists visited).
- Subject–verb agreement: Match singular/plural. Example: "A tourist is excited." / "Tourists are excited."
- Sentence types: Mix simple and compound sentences. Avoid run-ons and fragments.
- Connectors and cohesion: Use words like because, so, however, therefore, firstly, finally to link ideas.
- Punctuation: Full stops, commas, question marks, capital letters, and apostrophes (its vs. it's).
- Spelling and vocabulary: Use correct spellings (tourist, culture, attraction) and choose precise words (visit vs. see).
Short rubric (for a 10-mark paragraph)
| Area | Marks (out of 10) |
| Grammar & Tenses | 0–3 |
| Cohesion & Organisation | 0–3 |
| Vocabulary & Spelling | 0–2 |
| Punctuation & Presentation | 0–2 |
Grammatical pointers with simple examples
- Present simple for facts: "Kenya has many national parks." ✅
- Past simple for finished events: "Tourists visited the festival last month." ✅
- Subject–verb agreement: "The group is ready." vs "The groups are ready." ✅
- Using because & so: "Many visitors come to Kenya because of its wildlife." ✅
- Avoid comma splices: Wrong: "The village is beautiful, people visit it." → Correct: "The village is beautiful. People visit it."
- Correct use of pronouns: "A tourist should respect local culture. They should not litter." (use they to avoid he/she)
Example paragraph and teacher corrections
Student paragraph (original):
Kenya have many animals and people from other countries likes to come. Last year many tourist visited Maasai Mara and they enjoy the sight. Tourism help the economy and bring jobs.
Teacher corrections & notes:- Grammar: "Kenya has many animals" (not "have").
- Agreement: "people from other countries like to come." (not "likes").
- Spelling/number: "many tourists visited Maasai Mara" (plural).
- Tense & fluency: "they enjoyed the sight" (past tense to match "visited"). Better: "they enjoyed the sights."
- Cohesion: add connector: "Also, tourism helps the economy and creates jobs."
Kenya has many animals, and people from other countries like to come. Last year many tourists visited Maasai Mara, and they enjoyed the sights. Tourism helps the economy and creates jobs.
Short tasks for class
- Correct these errors (5 minutes):
- "The country are famous for its beaches." → ________
- "Tourist visit the park every year" → ________
- "Because of tourism, jobs is made" → ________
- Write a 6–8 sentence paragraph about "How international tourism helps my town." Use present simple and one connector (because / therefore / however).
- Peer-assess: Use the quick checklist to give one strong point and one improvement suggestion.
Sample teacher comments (short)
- Good: "Clear ideas and correct use of past tense. Well done!"
- Improve: "Check subject–verb agreement and add connectors for flow."
- Next step: "Try using varied sentence types and two linking words." ✍️
Tip: When marking, mark the same few grammar points every time (e.g., tense, agreement, connectors). This helps students focus and improve quickly. 🌍🐘